TOMATO-FREE MARINARA SAUCE

By court15smith

Ingredients

• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped, (optional) (I used 2 cloves of garlic)
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Tbs. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar (in the end, I ended up adding a little more, maybe a tsp.)
• 1 (8-ounce) can Beets,* drained (reserve the liquid) (Get your clothespin or hold your breath! )
• 1 (14-15 ounce) can Pumpkin Puree (make sure it is not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2-3/4 cups gluten-free Chicken or Vegetable broth (I used Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock)
• 1 tsp. Coarse Salt
• 24 grinds Fresh Black Pepper
• 1/3-1/2 cup Chopped Fresh Basil (I used 1/4 cup dried Basil, plus I added a couple of Tbs. dried Oregano)

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com

Preparation

Step 1

Sautee onion and garlic in oil until onion is translucent and slightly brown.
Add lemon juice and vinegar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Puree beets until very smooth. (I did this in my food processor, but a blender would be fine too. You will need a little liquid to help the pureeing process: use some beet juice or water, maybe 1/4 cup or so)
Add pureed beets, pumpkin puree, salt, pepper and basil to pan. Stir until combined.
Whisk in the broth. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Do not over-cook; beets discolor with prolonged cooking. If sauce is too thick, add a little more broth to thin.
Whisk in the moistened cornstarch (or arrowroot). Cook for 1 more minute. Taste and adjust seasoning.

*TIP: If you prefer, you can use fresh beets. Roast them in the oven until soft and puree them in a food blender before adding to recipe.
TIP: If the sauce seems too acidic, add a teaspoon or two of sugar. (I added about a tsp. of Agave Nectar instead of sugar)